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Tractors and Trailers Si ify Refuse Collection
Page 88
Page 89
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ROYAL borough', and an ancient one, King' ston upon Thames justifiably enjoys a reputation for being healthy, pleasant and clean. There is a " holiday " atmosphere about the place, and the River Thames, proudly flanked by beautiful promenades and gardens, gives
added charm. The town, too, has a municipal market, which is semicontinental, semi-old-world in character.
With an estimated population of 40,000 and an area of 1,300 acres, the rateable value of the borough is £518,502. The corporation has a go-ahead policy and as a matter of interest its staff is housed in a Guildhall (opened in 1935) which is notahle for its modernity and striking architecture.
In this unusual semicircular building are to he found the offices of the borough surveyor, Mr. G. L. Paling, MC., A.M.Inst.C.E. That office has the responsibility of controlling the corporation's highways transport system, the virtual hub of which, however, is at Villiers Road, in the form of a depot covering approximately 3i acres.
We may best begin our story with a brief history of Kingston Corporation's incursion into the field of. mechanization. Until six years ago horsed transport was all that was needed. Natural development and expansion, however, soon demanded greater speed and
mobility. In May, 1934, a Fordson lorry came to relieve several horses of their daily tasks. It was a 2-ton threeway tipper and its 'work was to be mainly in connection,, with highway maintenance and construction.
About a year later—and this is more important—there came into being a new system for the scavenging of the borough. Previously, this work had been effected with horses and trucks, but the new order Saw the employment of a 4-ton Dennis, with body by
c34 Hygienic Refuse Containers, Ltd., whilst the scavengers packed street rubbish away into twowheeled rubber tyred H.R.C. orderly barrows.
At the same time came the change-over of part of the refuse-collection system, from entirely horsed transport to that combining the horsed and motor forms. This involved the acquisition of a Fordson industrial traCtor, and four Eagle trailers, which operated the northern half of the town. In July, 1936, another Fordson tractor and two more Eagle trailers were purchased to act as spare units. March, 1937, saw the completion of the new refuse-collection scheme, with the purchase of another tractor and six trailers, for the southern half of the town. In July, 1938, another unit of each type was provided, these to act as spares. An additional Fordson 2-ton threeway tipper was acquired for highways and general work in August, 1938. At the present time, then, the borough surveyor has control of four Fordson tractors, 13 Eagle trailers (11 being of ordinary two-wheeled type and two being of four-wheeled moving. floor type), a Dennis scavenging lorry, and two Fordson tippers. In addition, this department is responsible for a Vauxhall 25 h.p. ambulance with Lomas S-type body.
Let us consider the work which is carried out by the various motors. Taking first the Fordson tippers, we remember that their main purpose is one bound up with highways construe tion and repair. They carry ballast, tarmacadam, concrete blocks, paving stones and cognat e materials a n d equipment. By-products of excavation, also, are transported by these vehicles to the tip. The earlier model has completed 31,840 miles to date, whilst the one purchased in August, 1938, has a figure of 4,290 to its credit. Since its acquisition in April, 1935, the Dennis scavenging vehicle has done 53,600 miles, with a fine
record of reliability. This unit visits 21 scavengers, at given points, four times a day, within eight hours. Within its sphere of operation comes the Kingston Market which, fortunately, is an exceptionally clean one. During the week 22 loads are taken from market to destructor, 12 of these having to be removed after Saturday's busy period of trade.
We come once more to the matter of refuse col
lection. Here the principle is simple enongh. Horses draw the trailers from house to house and when a trailer is full it is disconnected and hitched to a tractor, being immediately taken to the tip (which is at Wanderings Farm on the Malden-Kingston boundary), or the refuse destructor at Villiers Road. The tractors average 12 trips per day, with the exception of Saturday, when the figure is four or five. For the year ended March 31, 1998. 18 cwt. of refuse per 1,000 of population was collected per day, the annual estimated figure being 13,271 tons.
The tractors have couplings both back and front, so that they can either push or pull the trailers, whilst Neate trailer brakes are employed.
As rewards maintenance, most of this is handled at Villiers Road, under the surveillance of the highways superintendent, major repair jobs only being sent out. There is, also, a magnificent new joiners' shop on the premises for body repairs, etc.
Since its acquirement, the Dennis has averaged an operating cost of 7.93d. per mile, that figure including all expenditure, i.e., wages, repairs, cleaning, tyres, petrol, oil, insurances and licences. Corresponding figures for the first and second Fordson lorries are 11.38d. and 11.46d. respectively.